ТАSHKENT, October 9. /Dunyo IA/.   Summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) continued in an expanded format, with the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian attending as a guest of honor, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the press service of the Head of our State, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined the priorities for Uzbekistan’s upcoming chairmanship of the CIS in 2027.

In his address, Head of State thanked his counterparts for supporting the decision and giving Uzbekistan the opportunity to contribute to joint efforts, propose new ideas, and work together to advance areas of cooperation that are especially important to Commonwealth countries today.

“We want next year’s focus to be on areas that deliver clear, tangible results. These include the economy, new technologies, transportation, security, education, science, and human capital development”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.

This approach is reflected in Uzbekistan’s chairmanship motto: “The CIS – a space of trust and common development”.

Work is currently being finalized on the Chairmanship Concept and Action Plan, which already include more than 100 specific activities.

The priorities and mechanisms for practical cooperation during Uzbekistan’s chairmanship were outlined.

Particular attention will be paid to political dialogue within the Commonwealth.

“Today, when the situation in the world is becoming ever more complex, it is extremely important to openly and constructively discuss any issues, to hear one another and to seek solutions that suit all of us”, Head of State noted.

In the economic sphere, it was proposed to place the primary emphasis on industrial cooperation, given that CIS countries possess substantial production capacity, resources, technologies and markets.

“By combining these capabilities, establishing joint production facilities, and building resilient supply chains, we can achieve more tangible results for all participants”, President stated.

In this regard, further removing barriers that hinder trade between the countries will be of key importance.

Digital technologies were highlighted as a separate priority, with an emphasis on expanding their use beyond sectors that are already well developed.

“We need to look ahead and work together in the areas on which the competitiveness of our economies will depend in the coming years. It is about critical minerals, artificial intelligence, robotics, new materials and modern energy technologies. These are the areas where we can’t afford to fall behind and we need to build our own competencies and joint projects”, Leader of Uzbekistan stated.

Transport was identified as another priority of the chairmanship. It was noted that Central Asia is becoming a major transport hub connecting East and West, North and South.

“We need to make full use of these opportunities. To this end, it is important to simplify transit procedures and create routes that will be convenient, safe and economically beneficial”, Head of State emphasized.

Ensuring security and stability will also remain a key focus of cooperation during Uzbekistan’s chairmanship.

“We will support the work of the relevant CIS bodies and our countries’ efforts to counter common threats, including terrorism, extremism and cybercrime. These challenges have long transcended national borders”, President of Uzbekistan stated.

Particular efforts will be directed toward combating the growing threat of cybercrime, which directly affects ordinary citizens, businesses, banks and government systems.

People-to-people ties, which play a major role in maintaining the stability of interstate relations, were identified as a top priority.

The importance of providing students, young professionals, scientists, researchers, and creative professionals with more opportunities to communicate, learn from one another, and collaborate was emphasized.

“At the heart of all our work must remain the individual, their dignity, their interests and their opportunities. Only then will the CIS be perceived as a space where one can study, work, create new projects, find partners and build one’s future”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.

In conclusion, Uzbekistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to using its chairmanship of the Commonwealth to preserve effective practices and to give fresh impetus to areas where new solutions are needed.

President of Uzbekistan expressed his sincere gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov for his hospitality and the excellent organization of the summit.

Following the summit, a package of agreements and decisions on priority areas of cooperation within the CIS was signed.